Reports on AirCon in Helicopters
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Reports on AirCon in Helicopters
Does anyone know the whereabouts of any reports or discussions on the use of AirCon in helicopters. I'm wondering if there are additional benefits to providing the crew with a comfortable environment such as extending or contributing to the extension of the life of avionics instruments etc by providing them with a much less severe environment to operate in. Have tried Googling but get everything but (can't be @rsed to go beyond page 6). Any help gladly received.
Well, as a Seahawk pilot I can tell you that the crew certainly appreciates the cooler workplace. The airconditioner is really there to keep the avionics nice, cool and happy, but we just happen to enjoy the nice, cool and happy along with the black boxes.
The system is designed to keep the bits cool but we have full control of temperature, flow rate and whether its on or off. During emergencies, like engine failures, we have a contingency power switch which allows a higher power rating in the remaining engine and also disables the environmental control system which would otherwise continue to bleed air from the engine.
Our system is remarkably similar to the air conditioning systems used by airliners (except for the obvious difference in size AND the fact that theirs is there more for pax comfort and ours is really more for keeping the electronics cool).
Hope this helped...not very technical, but a drivers perspective.
The system is designed to keep the bits cool but we have full control of temperature, flow rate and whether its on or off. During emergencies, like engine failures, we have a contingency power switch which allows a higher power rating in the remaining engine and also disables the environmental control system which would otherwise continue to bleed air from the engine.
Our system is remarkably similar to the air conditioning systems used by airliners (except for the obvious difference in size AND the fact that theirs is there more for pax comfort and ours is really more for keeping the electronics cool).
Hope this helped...not very technical, but a drivers perspective.
"contributing to the extension of the life of avionics instruments etc by providing them with a much less severe environment to operate in"
Rather the opposite, I would have thought as the avionics are going to cycle from (say) +40 sitting on the pan to +10 when the aircon switches in and back on shutdown. Helps the crew, though (if you're lucky enough to have A/C)!
Rather the opposite, I would have thought as the avionics are going to cycle from (say) +40 sitting on the pan to +10 when the aircon switches in and back on shutdown. Helps the crew, though (if you're lucky enough to have A/C)!
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It is a useful flight safety aid. If a pilot is physically uncomfortable and on the verge of dehydration he certainly isn't going to operate at his best.
We used to operate the S-70 in Asia, where in the summer, the "windscreen hot" warning captions were sometimes lit prior to engine start with +50 C showing on the OAT gauge. AirCon would have been very welcome there, to say the least!
We used to operate the S-70 in Asia, where in the summer, the "windscreen hot" warning captions were sometimes lit prior to engine start with +50 C showing on the OAT gauge. AirCon would have been very welcome there, to say the least!
A decent system transforms the operating environment for the crew and reduces fatigue no end. The problem comes when it fails, and it then feels worse than if you'd never had it!
